A Sri Lankan clerk has been jailed for six months for molesting an 11-year-old schoolgirl while she was in a shop with her parents in Dubai.

The 31-year-old clerk, A.N., took the Indian girl by surprise when he came from behind and touched her inappropriately in October.

The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted A.N. after he pleaded guilty to molesting the girl.

Presiding judge Fahd Al Shamsi said the accused will be deported following the completion of his punishment.

When asked in courtroom if he groped the girl, the clerk contended: “Yes, I did and I am sorry.”

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said the defendant abused the fact that the girl’s parents were busy shopping when he breached her innocence, took her by surprise and molested her.

The Indian girl said the defendant behaved in an indecent manner while she was in the shop.

“He grabbed my waist and touched me inappropriately. He grabbed me two times… then I told my parents what happened and they told the police,” the girl said.

The girl’s father testified that the defendant rubbed his body against his daughter’s.

Prosecution records contained images [taken from the shop’s CCTV cameras] that showed the accused molesting the girl.

Law enforcement officers seized the clothes that A.N. wore during the alleged incident.

According to Sunday’s judgement, the photo images of the molestation will be confiscated.

The primary ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days. – Gulf News